Saturday, August 05, 2006

Fore!

Bangalore, Aug. 4: Swinging iron on the fairways of the 128-year-old Bangalore Golf Club could soon be history since a neighbour, chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, has taken umbrage.

Last week, a stray golf ball came bouncing down the fairway, cleared the high protective nets and ricocheted off the road straight into a policeman’s face.

....The police immediately swung into action, identified the offending golfer and gave him a dressing down. “What if it had hit the CM?” they asked him.

It almost did, a few days later. Two days ago, another ball flew off the 18-hole course and slammed into the chief minister’s official car, denting the bonnet.

....Red-faced, the police top brass decided that they ought to swing the iron at the club. They have written to the Bangalore urban district deputy commissioner to close down the club because it’s a “security threat”.

....The club’s captain, K.N. Shanth Kumar, told The Telegraph it was too early for him to comment as he had yet to get the full picture. “I really can’t say anything till next week.”

Club members are aghast that an institution where genteel folk have been indulging in a gentle sport since the days of the Raj was being labelled a security threat. “We already have protective nets, we need to raise them a bit. They should give us some time,” an old-timer said.

Some members say certain bureaucrats had lost club elections and might be retaliating.